


Fixed Stars

by angeburger



Category: Dollhouse
Genre: F/F, F/M, Post-Season/Series Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-10-03 18:49:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10254995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeburger/pseuds/angeburger
Summary: But Echo was there.She was always there.Pre/post-series finale.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Another old fic that needed to go up. Previously titled "comfort".

This is how it's been since Tony left.

 

Echo couldn't stand it, when she was actually at the Farm (and not out with Paul on missions). Every night, late at night, the sound of Priya crying outside on the porch. She doesn't want to wake her boy, so she went outside. Rain or shine, winter or summer. Right outside Echo's window. And each morning she's tired, listless, and has puffy eyes. T doesn't notice, but happily goes with Adelle to the garden to help plant things. And Priya once more buries her grief in daily chores; washing dishes, washing clothes, checking their pantry, making lists. It's easier this way.

 

But not for Echo. She feels her heart and gut twist each time she sees the cycle begin again. It only seems to let up when there's news from Tony and his unit, but even then rage replaces grief and gets confused with joy that he's still alive, though he perfected the tech allowing him and his people to roll on through the great wide World and Priya just can't forgive that. She hasn't touched any tech since the day that they imprinted Tony that final time in the Chair in the LA Dollhouse with extra skills. However, that news is sparse, few and far between in terms of messages since any tech could be corrupted, even radio waves, even email. Anything might imprint you. And even if everyone on their farm was immune to imprinting (in theory, anyway), they decided as a group that the children on the farm couldn't be risked, they hadn't been tested. It was unacceptable.

 

So on went the cycle. Year in, year out.

 

Tony's four now, toddling around happily in the summertime, barefoot and shameless. He explores the garden by day, and is completely tuckered out come nightfall. Priya waits until he's in so deep he won't notice her there, and she slips out. To the porch.

 

But Echo can't stand it anymore. Not tonight. So she follows her. Priya looking up at the stars, so many now that there's so much chaos around them, less light pollution from cities to block the sky. The scent of honeysuckle twining near her bare feet. Rich earth. Tears streaming down her cheeks.

 

Creeping with the stealth of a hundred imprints, Echo's by her side before she even notices.

 

"You have to let him go." She murmurs, her hand skimming Priya's cheek. "Years of this...I mean, crying's good and all but this is eating you alive."

 

Priya doesn't say anything but instead leans her head against Echo's hip, nuzzling it. They're quiet for awhile and then Priya speaks, her voice sounds like broken glass and gravel.

 

"I just can't forgive him. I feel like half of me's been taken away."

 

Echo sat down next to her on the old rocking swing they'd fixed up there, silently swinging with her toes. Priya's head on her shoulder.

 

"This is how it felt when I was...evolving, becoming aware as a Doll. Sierra felt like this each time Victor left on an engagement."

 

"You know he's doing this for you. And for T." Echo's voice is soft. "That's why he had to finish up that tech. Even if it meant breaking his promise to you about never using it again." She could feel Priya sigh wearily against her before she continues. "Tony was military before the Dollhouse. He must have recognized something we lacked, and felt the only way was to do what he did. And I trust his judgment." Looked down at her. "Like I trust yours. And I know you still love him, otherwise you wouldn't be out here each night."

 

Priya's cheeks flushing, "You've been...?"

 

Echo's laugh is like splashes of color in the night. "You're right outside my window."

 

"...I forgot about that." She muttered, looking away.

 

"Did you really?" Echo's fingers gently pinching her waist, arm around her. Priya almost yelping but Echo shushes her. And they're both smiling.

 

"It's hard having half of you gone." Priya finally says, eyes back up on the stars. "I just can't...I can't get myself out of it. I look at T and I'm reminded of him all over again."

 

"I don't think he'd want you to be crying like this forever. I do think he'd be flattered, though." Echo's soft chuckle against her cheek. "He always comes back to you. He always will."

 

And they're looking at each other, and why hadn't Priya noticed before? She did love Echo, went to the fucking Attic for her. Like a sister, like some unbreakable blood bond. Remembering when she was giving birth to T, how Echo stayed all throughout the night into the next day, letting her grip her hand so hard she sprained it when the pain got bad. Adelle had been in and out, having to help manage everyone. The men were all slightly uncomfortable, milling around outside anxiously. Tony had already been gone.

 

But Echo was there.

 

Echo was always there.

 

And something deep inside of her unlocked itself. From the Doll days. Unfurling, opening.

 

Echo was already taking her hand, and leading her out deeper into the garden where they wouldn't disturb anyone. Lay down in the tall grass, looked up at the stars. Priya standing over her.

 

"You were there. When they were...putting me on a Wedge. The first time. You were there. You kept asking what was happening, why no one was doing anything because you saw me hurting."

 

Echo just smiled, Caroline's cocky smile. "You're only now remembering this?"

 

Priya laughed and it felt good. "Not all of us are miss super evolved brain girl."

 

Echo reached up and pulled her down, nose to nose. Her smile was more gentle now. "Not all of us have to be."

 

Priya's eyes watering again, breath against her lips. "You were always there. No matter what."

 

Echo just kissed her quiet, knowing that this is what Priya needed. What both of them needed, actually. They were the two loneliest people in the farm family, orbiting loosely around it like lost stars.

 

And Priya just put all of her pain into her kiss. All of those lonely, tear-filled nights. How tired she was. So very tired. She slept around three to four hours a day, if that. Body and mind starting to separate from the stress. Echo rolling them over, breaking away to breathe. Eyes meeting, is this okay?, silent messages going back and forth until Priya reached up for her. Echo kissing her harder, Priya biting her bottom lip, need that had been tamped down for so long finally breaking free. Echo's thigh going between Priya's, and the other girl nearly yelped and started to laugh.

 

"Is that a gun in your pocket?" Pointing to her holster. Echo never went anywhere without at least one gun on her anymore.

 

Echo snorted. "Nope, just glad to see you." She undid the holster but kept it within reach, just in case. Nipped her under her neck, near her pulse. "Now, where were we?"

 

"I believe you were going to comfort me." Priya giving a shudder, feeling Echo's grin against her skin.

 

"Was I now?" Hands going up her shirt, tweaking a nipple. The other girl squeaking. "Is that a yes?" Rucking up the shirt, teeth and tongue working far too well on each breast. Then again, Echo did have the skill of a hundred imprints in her. She shook off her jeans, not minding the earth beneath them. Made moving easier.

 

"Yes!" Priya finally did yelp once she felt Echo's roughened fingers circling her navel, lower, pushing down her skirt, mouth following. And then there were no words, nothing needed to be said. Echo holding one of her hands, fingers woven together tightly. Felt her breath and teeth tugging at her panties, kissing her inner thighs. Breath at her core, then lips. Fingers. Her toes clenched, helping Echo help her out of her skirt, tossing it aside.

 

Priya's eyes on the sky, free hand in Echo's hair, feeling herself almost convulse with it all. Trying to stay some sort of quiet, lest they wake the entire damn farm. There wasn't much privacy there as it was, and she wanted to have some for herself. For both of them.

 

Where did she end and Echo begin? She couldn't tell. She was dizzy. Her skin was humming and crackling with static.

 

The dark-haired girl's smile against her folds, biting lightly and then harder, and then there were stars behind her eyes, in front of her eyes, blood on her tongue like chocolate from biting her own lip, trying to keep quiet. When she could see again, Echo's cheek was against her belly, eyes looking at her. Like when she got her out of the Nightmare in the Attic. Relief. Love.

 

It was then Priya noticed that Echo hadn't let go of her hand the entire time. They both loosened their grip, flexing their fingers to bring back blood flow. Wanted to thank her for everything, from the moment they met as she'd been going through the Wedging process. On her tongue like flowers or thick cake icing, she couldn't say it. Instead, kissed Echo for a long, long time, until she looked up at the sky, saw something move.

 

A meteor shower.

 

"The sky is falling." Priya murmured, still dizzy with her own taste on her lips, with Echo's arms tugging her to her, around her. The smell of the strawberries nearby soaking into their clothes, skin.

 

"Or the Butchers blew something up." Echo nuzzling into her, a wisecrack against her temple.

 

Priya lifted a brow, coming back to herself. "Can't you let a girl dream?"

 

Echo sighed dramatically. "Fine. Make a wish. Or ten."

 

She knew they both wished for the same thing. That all of this would end soon, that Tony would come back home safe and sound. That T could grow up in a world better than the one that had given birth to the one of now.

 

"So what did you wish for?" The other girl said after awhile.

 

Priya turned to look at her, lips dusting against her cheek. "That you let me comfort you next time."

 

They both shook with laughter. "Done and done." Echo's smile was relieved, happy, and more than a little debauched. Priya burrowing into her, a happy sigh, both of them watching the hundreds if not thousands of stars fall to earth. And it was then (or had it been before then, had it been all along?) that Priya could let herself believe in miracles, if just for a little while.

  
The possibility of fixed stars.


End file.
